“I’m really pleased to be out of Auckland,” my daughter shared. I smiled, we were waiting in the car at Hamilton Hospital, while Hillary, her Mum, was visiting my father-in-law. We were on our way to New Plymouth, where my mother-in-law was also in hospital. Her sense of positivity was exactly what the article in front of me was referring to. There has been much to bemoan during this pandemic, but as leaders, parents and teachers, keeping a lid on this is important as we mitigate our impact on others.
Somewhere between the realisation that lockdown 5.0 was going to be a while and the incoming Education vaccination mandates, I made the decision to filter negative energy. I was worried about my own energy spiralling and the affect this could have on my own family, class and my colleagues. Misinformation, politicking, poor weather, and distance teaching had me in a funk. As I started to get some clarity on my own personal response to these variables I looked for a way out, a degree of filtering was needed. Choosing to engage in anything that was going to facilitate a downwards spiral would be destructive. However, choosing not to engage is only part of the solution as friends, family, colleagues and the wider public can decide to interact or focus on topics that are intensely challenging. A simple tool at this point is understanding your own pressure points or triggers, whilst having a range of exit strategies prepared in advance of difficult conversations.
Lounging in the sun this Boxing Day, I chatted with family. There was widespread agreement that leaders in this period are often faced with two choices and both of them are rubbish! No question that this period has been difficult, in schools there is constant pivoting as the situation changes. Compounding this, changes take place in a setting where all stakeholders are highly charged.
With every email, request, reflection or instruction from those around me, I’ve needed to step back and consider my responses. What is being asked? What is the purpose? What lies behind the words? What is the impact on others? What is within my sphere of influence?
Each lockdown HPPS has felt well prepared for the different variants. Documentation has been available, much pre-thinking has taken place, distance plans or templates ready to launch and the mindset of staff, while anxious, has been largely positive. Phase 3 felt different, Omicron forced a dynamic environment, with high numbers of cases, the ability to close classes rather than whole schools and limited relievers reducing capacity to cover isolating teachers. Covid fatigue is higher amongst children, parents and the teaching community too. From the onset of the teaching year, teams have been readying themselves. Are students prepared with online and offline resources, devices and account details? If I had to take a RAT test and find myself or my colleagues needing to isolate where would we be placed?
The world has been getting on with things, NZ has slowly played the cards it’s been dealt and ever so slowly we’ve put one foot in front of the other. Of course social media has provided some assistance too with plenty of interesting reading available (this one was great), such as the following visual.
This term has felt lengthy, necessary measures have left many feeling exhausted, isolated and looking for easy solutions. Perspective has been important, others have done it rough, and others have had it tougher still. But as we approach the end, through the fog I can see the light and I feel invigorated. Around me magic is happening, this is inspirational as we look to spiral up and onto the next thing. My own team is reflecting, deconstructing our successes and our wonderings but giving ourselves permissions too.
This post is a part of me looking forward, backward and all around as I reflect. I’m trying to keep it real, pragmatic, and continually looking for the spark.
I loved buying my colleagues coffee and showing them they were appreciated. Avoiding social media, keeping some thoughts for a select few and constant reminders about icebergs have all helped. Trying to find magic has also kept me super positive. What strategies do you utilise to keep it real during these times? How are you ensuring that you’re looking forward and being the best teacher you can be?
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